California Republican Party: No Money, Mo' Problems

You almost wish that the California Democratic Party had a better opponent across the aisle, as it would push them to do better work and not rest on their laurels. Sadly, or fortunately, the state GOP under the "control" of Ron Nehring is comically bad.

An influential Republican donor with ties to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is pressuring the California GOP to overhaul its operations, depicting Chairman Ron Nehring as an ineffective, insular manager apparently more concerned with promoting conservative purity than electing Republicans.

In a four-page letter to Nehring obtained by The Associated Press, Larry Dodge outlines a litany of complaints against the state party, from sinking registration numbers to suspect expenditures by party officers.

"The registration gap (with Democrats) is widening, contributions are drying up, key posts have been left open for a year, staff is being laid off and there is a never-ending string of reports which is causing long-term damage to the image of the party," Dodge wrote in the Jan. 31 letter.

"Immediate comprehensive action is required," Dodge writes. "The stakes are too high, the problems too deep, to do otherwise."

This should be a great year for state Democrats. The Republican brand is tarnished, we just saw primary turnout among Democrats double the GOP, there are open seats in competitive legislative seats where the Democrats have solid candidates and natural advantages, we're about to nominate a game-changing candidate who will bring their own set of new voters to the polls, and the CRP is broke. Flat broke. Like $3.4 million in debt with only $3.2 million cash on hand.

The question is whether the CDP, which is in good financial shape, will press this advantage and set things up for a capturing of 2/3 of the legislature and the governor's mansion by 2010, and the ability to enact a wide-reaching progressive agenda. With competition like this, it should be child's play.

Frank Russo has a lot more.